Devices, systems, and methods for ablation-zone simulation and visualization

ABSTRACT

Systems, devices, and methods obtain an image volume; obtain a description of a surface that includes a shape of the surface, a size of the surface, and a location of the surface in the image volume, sample the image volume on the surface, thereby producing sampled surface-image data; and generate a visualization of the sampled surface-image data.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 62/590,229, which was filed on Nov. 22, 2017.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

This application generally relates to the simulation, visualization, and planning of medical ablations.

Background

There are various forms of ablation, and successful ablation is made more likely by good planning. Ablation is sometimes ordered after a diagnosis by oncologists who decide that ablation is the best treatment of a lesion or a tumor. An interventional radiologist (IR) may gather and analyze images to accurately characterize tumors and their sizes. Also, an IR may conduct some initial imaging before developing an ablation strategy. The ablation strategy may include selecting an imaging modality, the number of probes, the trajectories of the probe insertions, the probe-insertion points, and the modality of ablation (e.g., microwave, cryo, laser, radiofrequency, high-focused ultrasound).

SUMMARY

Some embodiments of a device comprise one or more processors and one or more computer-readable media that are coupled to the one or more processors. The one or more computer-readable media include instructions for obtaining an image volume; obtaining a description of a surface that includes a shape of the surface, a size of the surface, and a location of the surface in the image volume; sampling the image volume on the surface, thereby producing sampled surface-image data; and generating a visualization of the sampled surface-image data.

Some embodiments of a method comprise obtaining an image volume, wherein the image volume is composed of an image stack; sampling the image volume on a first surface, thereby producing first sampled surface-image data; and generating a visualization of the first sampled surface-image data.

Some embodiments of one or more computer-readable storage media store instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to perform operations that comprise obtaining an image volume, wherein the image volume is composed of an image stack; obtaining information that describes a first surface, wherein the first surface models a corresponding ablation zone; sampling the image volume on the first surface, thereby producing first sampled surface-image data; and generating an image of the first sampled surface-image data.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an example embodiment of a system for simulating and visualizing an ablation zone.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example embodiment of an image volume.

FIG. 3A illustrates an example embodiment of a visualization of an image volume.

FIG. 3B illustrates an example embodiment of a visualization of an image volume and an ablation zone.

FIG. 4A illustrates an example embodiment of a set of data points and a surface of an ablation zone.

FIG. 4B illustrates an example embodiment of a set of data points and a surface of an ablation zone.

FIG. 5A illustrates an example embodiment of a display that shows an ablation zone.

FIG. 5B illustrates an example embodiment of a display that shows multiple ablation zones and multiple probes.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example embodiment of an operational flow for visualizing an ablation zone.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example embodiment of an operational flow for visualizing an ablation zone.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example embodiment of a set of data points in an image volume and a surface of an ablation zone.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example embodiment of an operational flow for visualizing an ablation zone.

FIG. 10A illustrates an example embodiment of a visualization of an image volume.

FIG. 10B illustrates an example embodiment of a combined visualization of an image volume.

FIG. 11 illustrates an example embodiment of a user interface that includes a visualization of an ablation zone.

FIG. 12 illustrates an example embodiment of a user interface that includes a visualization of an ablation zone.

FIG. 13 illustrates an example embodiment of a user interface that includes a visualization of an ablation zone.

FIG. 14A illustrates an example embodiment of a user interface that includes a visualization of an ablation zone.

FIG. 14B illustrates an example embodiment of a user interface that includes a visualization of an ablation zone.

FIG. 15A illustrates an example embodiment of a user interface that includes a visualization of an ablation zone.

FIG. 15B illustrates an example embodiment of a user interface that includes a visualization of an ablation zone.

FIG. 15C illustrates an example embodiment of a user interface that includes a visualization of an ablation zone.

FIG. 15D illustrates an example embodiment of a user interface that includes a visualization of an ablation zone.

FIG. 16 illustrates an example embodiment of a system for simulating and visualizing an ablation zone.

DESCRIPTION

The following paragraphs describe certain explanatory embodiments. Other embodiments may include alternatives, equivalents, and modifications. Additionally, the explanatory embodiments may include several novel features, and a particular feature may not be essential to some embodiments of the devices, systems, and methods that are described herein.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example embodiment of a system for simulating and visualizing an ablation zone (also referred to herein as a “visualization system”). The visualization system 10 includes one or more simulation devices 100, each of which is a specially-configured computing device (e.g., a specially-configured desktop computer, a specially-configured laptop computer, a specially-configured server); an image-capturing device 110 (which is a CT scanner in this example); an image server 120, which communicates with an image repository 130; and a display device 140. Also, in some embodiments, the image-capturing device 110 is an image-capturing device that is not a CT scanner (e.g., a magnetic-resonance-imaging (MRI) device or an optical coherence tomography (OCT) device).

The one or more simulation devices 100 obtain images from the image-capturing device 110 or the image server 120. The one or more simulation devices 100 then generate a visualization of the images and send the visualization to the display device 140, which displays the visualization.

The obtained images may each depict a slice of an object (e.g., a member of a body). For example, the images may each depict a slice of a lung or a liver. The images may be arranged in an image stack that defines a three-dimensional image volume that includes the object. An example of an image volume 219 is shown in FIG. 2. The spaces between three of the images are expanded to increase the visible areas of the images. The images show skin 281 and a tumor 282. When the one or more simulation devices 100 generate a display of the image volume 219, the display may allow a user to change the image that is on top of the volume 219 or the images that are expanded from the volume 219, for example by means of scrolling through the image volume 219.

Because an ablation procedure affects a three-dimensional (3D) space, the one or more simulation devices 100 produce a visualization that shows the three-dimensional effects of the ablation procedure. A health-care professional may use the visualization to plan an ablation procedure. For example, a health-care professional may use the visualization to plan the insertion point of a probe, the insertion angle of a probe, the duration of the ablation procedure, and the power of the ablation procedure. The visualization may show the affected three-dimensional space as a sphere, an ellipsoid, or another shape. Also, the affected three-dimensional space may increase in size as the power or duration of the ablation procedure increases and may decrease in size as the power or duration of the ablation procedure decreases. And the type of tissue being ablated, which may also affect the size of the ablation zone, can be simulated.

FIG. 3A illustrates an example embodiment of a visualization of an image volume 319. This visualization includes a simulation of a probe 383 (e.g., a needle). Accordingly, the visualization shows the approximate position of the probe 383 relative to the skin 381 and the tumor 382.

FIG. 3B illustrates an example embodiment a visualization of an image volume 319. This visualization includes a simulation of a probe 383 and a lantern 384, which is a visualization of the surface of an ablation zone. The ablation zone is a volume that may be affected by an ablation procedure. One or more simulation devices 100 calculate the size of the lantern 384 based on one or more of the following: the duration of a simulated ablation procedure, the power of the simulated ablation procedure, a simulated tip of the probe 383, and the material (e.g., tissue) being ablated. In this embodiment, the lantern 384 encompasses the entire tumor 382 from FIG. 3A. Also, in some embodiments, the lantern 384 is deformable, which may allow complex thermal effects to be simulated. For example, some embodiments of user interfaces allow the lantern 384 to be deformed by allowing a user to use a cursor to press on one or a few points on the lantern 384.

Some embodiments of the one or more simulation devices 100 perform at least the following operations: (A) obtain an image volume (e.g., a CT volume or an MRI volume); (B) generate a visualization of the image volume; (C) generate a geometrical functional that models the ablation zone (e.g., a sphere, an ellipsoid, a cone); (D) sample (e.g., resample) the image volume on the surface of the generated geometrical functional; (E) reconstruct the image on the surface of the generated geometrical functional, which may include mapping the sampled image volume onto the surface of the ablation zone, thereby generating a lantern (the simulated ablation zone that has an image on its surface); (G) display the lantern, which may be overlaid on the original image volume; and (H) provide an interaction mechanism (e.g., a graphical user interface (GUI)) between the lantern and the image volume such that users can manipulate the size, shape, and location of the lantern. Also, in some embodiments, the lantern can be manipulated arbitrarily (e.g., zoomed in, zoomed out, moved, rotated) by means of a GUI.

Accordingly, displaying the contents of the image volume using a lantern may show the contents of the image volume in a more-accurate form, which gives health-care professionals a view that they can use to plan an ablation procedure. Also, the lantern shows the interaction between the ablation zone and the anatomy adjacent to the ablation zone. Health-care professionals may not need to measure the distance from the ablation zone to other features because health-care professionals can see the features that intersect with the ablation zone by looking at the surface of the lantern. Also, these embodiments allow complex interactions to be visualized at the same time. For example, some embodiments simultaneously show multiple lanterns, which may allow a health-care professional to fine-tune an ablation procedure. Also, these embodiments may allow a health-care professional to move the lantern to a desired procedure location and then determine the center of the ablation zone for the insertion of the probe or to optimize the insertion point of the probe.

FIG. 4A illustrates an example embodiment of a set of data points in an image volume and a surface of an ablation zone. The data points 461 collectively define an image volume 419 (note that, although not all of the data points are labeled, the solid-black circles all represent respective data points). For example, each data point 461 may be a respective pixel, and each image may form a respective plane of pixels in the image volume. Also, the surface 485 of the ablation zone 484 passes through or close to three of the data points 461. Thus, the one or more simulation devices 100 can use these three data points 461 when sampling image data on the surface 485 of the ablation zone.

FIG. 4B illustrates an example embodiment of a set of data points in an image volume and a surface of an ablation zone. The data points 461 collectively define an image volume 419. However, in this example, the ablation zone's surface 485 does not pass through or close to any of the data points 461. Thus, when sampling the image volume 419 on the surface 485, the one or more simulation devices 100 use interpolated data points 462. Depending of the path of the surface 485, the one or more simulations devices 100 can use both data points 461 and interpolated data points 462 when sampling the image volume 419 on the surface 485.

FIG. 5A illustrates an example embodiment of a display that shows an ablation zone. In the display 591 in FIG. 5A, the ablation zone 584 is not spherical. A non-spherical ablation zone may be produced by the shape of the tip of the probe 583.

FIG. 5B illustrates an example embodiment of a display that shows multiple ablation zones. This embodiment of a display 591 shows multiple probes 583A-E, each of which produces a respective ablation zone 584A-E. Multiple ablation zones 584A-E can be combined to produce more-complex shapes. For example, the ablation zones 584A-E may be combined by a union operation to form a shape that is more complex than any one of the ablation zones 584A-E.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example embodiment of an operational flow for visualizing an ablation zone. Although this operational flow and the other operational flows that are described herein are each presented in a certain order, some embodiments may perform at least some of the operations in different orders than the presented orders. Examples of different orderings include concurrent, parallel, overlapping, reordered, simultaneous, incremental, and interleaved orderings. Thus, other embodiments of the operational flows that are described herein may omit blocks, add blocks, change the order of the blocks, combine blocks, or divide blocks into more blocks.

Furthermore, although this operational flow and the other operational flows that are described herein are performed by a simulation device, some embodiments of these operational flows are performed by two or more simulation devices or by one or more other specially-configured computing devices.

The operational flow in FIG. 6 includes a first flow, a second flow, a third flow, and a fourth flow. The first flow starts in block B600, where the simulation device obtains (e.g., receives, generates) a functional 671, which defines a shape. The functional 671 may describe or model the relationships between the shape of an ablation zone and the following: a time of an ablation procedure, a power of the ablation procedure, a shape of the ablation zone, and the composition of the material that will be ablated.

Next, in block B605, the simulation device generates a surface 672 based on the functional. The first flow then moves to block B615, where it merges with the second flow to form a combined flow.

The second flow starts in block B610, where the simulation device obtains an image volume 673. The second flow then proceeds to block B615, where it merges with the first flow to form the combined flow.

In block B615, the simulation device samples the image volume 673 on the surface and outputs the image data on the surface 674. In block B615, the simulation device may interpolate image data in areas where the surface is not close to the data points in the image volume 673, for example as illustrated in FIG. 4B. The combined flow then proceeds to block B625, where it merges with the third flow.

The third flow starts in block B620, where the simulation device obtains one or more color maps 675. The third flow then moves to block B625, where it merges with the combined flow. In block B625, the simulation device reconstructs the image data on the surface, thereby producing a lantern 676 (a surface with image data from the image volume 673), based on the color maps 675 and on the image data on the surface 674. The combined flow then moves to block B635, where it merges with the fourth flow.

The fourth flow starts in block B610 and moves to block B630, where the simulation device generates a visualization 677 of the image volume 673. The fourth flow then proceeds to block B635, where it merges with the combined flow.

In block B635, the simulation device generates a combined visualization 678 based on the lantern 676 and on the visualization 677 of the image volume 673. Examples of a combined visualization 678 are shown in FIGS. 10A, 10B, 11, 11, 12, 13, 14B, and 15A-D.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example embodiment of an operational flow for visualizing an ablation zone. The operational flow in FIG. 7 includes a first flow, a second flow, a third flow, a fourth flow, and a fifth flow. The first flow starts in block B700, where the simulation device obtains (e.g., receives, generates) a first functional 771A, which defines a shape, and then proceeds to block B710, where it merges with the second flow to form a combined flow.

The second flow starts in block B705, where the simulation device obtains a second functional 771B, and then the second flow moves to block B710, where it merges with the first flow to form a combined flow.

In block B710, the simulation device generates one or more surfaces 772 (e.g., the surface of an ablation zone) based on the first functional 771A and on the second functional 771B. For example, some embodiments of the simulation device use a union operation to merge the first functional 771A and the second functional 771B into a single surface if the first functional 771A and the second functional 771B overlap and do not merge the first functional 771A and the second functional 771B into a single surface if the first functional 771A and the second functional 771B do not overlap. The combined flow then moves to block B720, where it merges with the third flow.

The third flow starts in block B715, where the simulation device obtains an image volume 773 (e.g., an image volume). The third flow then proceeds to block B720, where it merges with the combined flow.

In block B720, the simulation device samples (e.g., resamples) the image volume 773 on the one or more surfaces 772, thereby producing the image data on the one or more surfaces 774. In block B720, the simulation device may interpolate image data in areas where the surface is not close to the data points in the image volume, for example as illustrated in FIG. 4B and in FIG. 8. The combined flow then proceeds to block B730, where it merges with the fourth flow.

The fourth flow starts in block B725, where the simulation device obtains one or more color maps 775. The fourth flow then moves to block B730, where it merges with the combined flow. In block B730, the simulation device generates one or more lanterns 776 based on the color maps 775 and on the resampled image data 774. The combined flow then moves to block B740, where it merges with the fifth flow.

The fifth flow starts in block B715 and moves to block B735, where the simulation device generates a visualization 777 of the image volume 773. The fifth flow then proceeds to block B740, where it merges with the combined flow.

In block B740, the simulation device generates a combined visualization 778 based on the one or more lanterns 776 and on the visualization 777 of the image data 773. Examples of a combined visualization 778 are shown in FIGS. 10A, 10B, 11, 11, 12, 13, 14B, and 15A-D.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example embodiment of a set of data points in an image volume and a surface of an ablation zone. The set includes data points 861 that collectively define an image volume 819. Also, FIG. 8 shows a first surface 885A of an ablation zone and shows a second surface 885B that is generated in response to a modification of the ablation zone. For example, the size or the position of the ablation zone may be changed. The first surface 885A of the ablation zone passes through or very close to one data point 861A in the image volume 819. To acquire image data for the rest of the illustrated surface, three interpolated data points 862A are generated.

The modification of the ablation zone produces the second surface 885B. Because the location of the second surface 885B in the image volume 819 is different from the location of the first surface 885A, new data points are obtained for the second surface 885B. The second surface passes through or close to two data points 861B. To acquire image data for the rest of the surface that is shown in FIG. 8, an interpolated data point 862B is generated based on the neighboring data points 861. Thus, the image data for the first surface 885A illustrates the image volume at the location of the first surface 885A, and the image data for the second surface 885B illustrates the image volume at the location of the second surface 885B. Accordingly, the image on the second surface 885B is different from the image on the first surface 885A.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example embodiment of an operational flow for visualizing an ablation zone. The operational flow in FIG. 9 includes a first flow, a second flow, and a third flow. The first flow starts in block B900, where a simulation device obtains a functional 971. The first flow then moves to block B910, where it merges with the second flow.

The second flow starts in block B905, where the simulation device obtains a location and a size 979A of an ablation zone. The second flow then proceeds to block B910, where it merges with the first flow, thereby producing a combined flow.

In block B910, the simulation device generates a surface 972 based on the functional 971 and on the location and size 979A. The combined flow then moves to block B920, where it merges with third flow.

The third flow starts in block B915, where the simulation device obtains an image volume 973. The third flow then proceeds to block B920, where it merges with the combined flow.

In block B920, the simulation device samples the image volume 973 on the surface 972, thereby producing the image data on the surface 974. Next, in block B925, the simulation device generates a lantern 976 based on the image data on the surface 974.

The combined flow then moves to block B930, where the simulation device determines if the location or size of the lantern should be changed. If not (block B930=No), then the combined flow waits at block B930. If the location or the size should be changed (block B930=Yes), for example in response to a user input, then the flow moves to block B935. For example, the location or the size may be changed in response to a command to move an ablation zone, a command to resize an ablation zone, or a command to change the functional that defines an ablation zone.

In block B935, the simulation device obtains a new location or a new size 979B of the lantern. This may include obtaining a new shape of the surface. And in some embodiments, in block B935, the simulation device obtains a new functional. The flow then returns to block B910, where the simulation device generates a surface 972 based on the functional 971 (if the functional did not change) and on the new location or size 979B (or functional, if the functional changed).

FIG. 10A illustrates and example embodiment of a visualization. The visualization includes an ablation zone 1089, a simulated probe 1083, and a visualization of the image volume 1086. The visualization also includes three visualization planes: an axial-visualization plane 1087A, a sagittal-visualization plane 1087B, and a coronal-visualization plane 1087C. The visualization planes 1087A-C show the image data in the image volume that lies on the visualization planes 1087A-C. In FIG. 10A, the ablation zone 1089 is represented with a circle and does not include image data.

FIG. 10B illustrates an example embodiment of a combined visualization 1091. The combined visualization 1091 includes a lantern 1084, a simulated probe 1083, and a visualization of an image volume 1086. The combined visualization 1091 also includes an axial-visualization plane 1087A, a sagittal-visualization plane 1087B, and a coronal-visualization plane 1087C. The lantern 1084 displays the image data that maps to the surface of an ablation zone. The lantern 1084 has an image on its surface that is generated by sampling the image volume on the ablation zone's surface (e.g., the sphere's surface), forming an image of the sampled data, and displaying the image of the sampled data on the lantern 1084.

Accordingly, the image data from the image volume is mapped to the surface of the ablation zone, and the visualization of the surface of the ablation zone simulates the appearance of the surface of a shape that has been cut out of the three-dimensional image volume. The image data may be interpolated for the points on the shape for which no image data is available (e.g., for the points on the shape that are between the image slices in the image volume).

FIG. 11 illustrates an example embodiment of a user interface that includes a visualization of an ablation zone. The user interface 1190 includes a perspective-display area 1191 that shows a combined visualization, which includes a lantern 1184; a simulated probe 1183; image data 1186 from an image volume; an axial-visualization plane 1187A, a sagittal-visualization plane 1187B, and a coronal-visualization plane 1187C. The perspective-display area 1191 allows a user to change the viewpoint of the perspective view, for example by rotating the visualization on any axis. Additionally, the perspective-display area 1191 allows a user to change the positions of the axial-visualization plane 1187A, the sagittal-visualization plane 1187B, and the coronal-visualization plane 1187C.

The user interface 1190 also shows an axial view 1192A, which shows the axial-visualization plane 1187A; a sagittal view 1192B, which shows the sagittal-visualization plane 1187B; and a coronal view 1192C, which shows the coronal-visualization plane 1187C. The user interface 1190 also includes controls 1195. The controls 1195 include ablation-zone controls 1195A, which allow a user to adjust a size of an ablation zone and its respective lantern 1184, a simulated power of the ablation procedure, a duration of an ablation procedure, and a number of probes and respective ablation zones. The appearance of the lantern 1184 is adjusted according to the settings of the ablation-zone controls 1195A.

The user interface 1190 also shows a trajectory 1197, which is generated in response to an activation of one of the controls 1195. In this example, the control is a trajectory checkbox 1195B. Once the trajectory checkbox 1195B is activated, the user interface 1190 allows a user to define an entry point 1197A and a target point 1197B of the trajectory 1197. The target point 1197B may be, for example, the center of a tumor. Once the entry point 1197A and the target point 1197B are defined, the user interface 1190 displays the trajectory 1197, which may indicate the insertion trajectory of a probe. Also, activating an insert control 1195C causes the user interface 1190 to display a simulated probe 1183 in place of the trajectory 1197 in the perspective-display area 1191.

The user interface 1190 also allows the lantern 1184 to be manipulated (e.g., moved, resized). This embodiment of a user interface 1190 allows a user to manipulate the lantern 1184 by moving it, rotating it, changing its size, zoom in to it, and zooming out from it. Because the lantern can be manipulated, it can be used to visualize many features that are not visible when only planes are used to view the image volume.

Also, in this embodiment the size of the lantern 1184 and its corresponding ablation zone may be changed by means of the adjustment of a zone-size control 1195D. In this embodiment, the zone-size control 1195D is a slider. The image that is presented on the lantern 1184 changes as the setting of the zone-size control 1195D changes because different image data maps to the surface of the resized ablation zone that corresponds to the lantern 1184. The generation of the lantern 1184 may be synchronized with the ablation zone's location and size. Accordingly, the lantern 1184 may be generated dynamically as the user manipulates (e.g., resizes, moves) the corresponding ablation zone of the lantern 1184.

FIG. 12 illustrates an example embodiment of a user interface that includes a visualization of an ablation zone. The user interface 1290 includes a lantern-display area 1293, which shows a lantern 1284 and a simulated probe 1283. The user interface also includes an axial view 1292A; a sagittal view 1292B, and a coronal view 1292C. In this example embodiment, the lantern-display area 1293 shows the lantern 1284 but does not show any other image data. The user interface 1290 also includes controls 1295. The controls 1295 include ablation-zone controls 1295A, which allow a user to adjust a size of an ablation zone, a simulated power of the ablation procedure, a duration of an ablation procedure, and a number of probes and respective ablation zones.

FIG. 13 illustrates an example embodiment of a user interface that includes a visualization of an ablation zone. The user interface 1390 includes a perspective-display area 1391, which shows a lantern 1384; a simulated probe 1383; and image data 1386. The perspective-display area 1391 also includes an axial-visualization plane 1387A, a sagittal-visualization plane 1387B, and a coronal-visualization plane 1387C. The user interface also shows an axial view 1392, which shows the axial-visualization plane 1387A. Additionally, as shown in FIG. 13, the user interface 1390 includes controls 1395.

FIG. 14A illustrates an example embodiment of a user interface that includes a visualization of an ablation zone. The user interface 1490 presents a visualization that includes a first lantern 1484A and a second lantern 1484B.

FIG. 14B illustrates an example embodiment of a user interface that includes a visualization of an ablation zone. The user interface 1490 presents a combined visualization that includes a first lantern 1484A, a second lantern 1484B, and image data 1486.

FIG. 15A illustrates an example embodiment of a user interface that includes a visualization of an ablation zone. The user interface 1590A shows a lantern 1584A, image data 1586, a simulated probe 1583, a cursor 1596, an axial-visualization plane 1587A, a sagittal-visualization plane 1587B, and a coronal-visualization plane 1587C. A user can use the cursor 1596 to reposition the lantern 1584A and its corresponding ablation zone.

FIG. 15B illustrates an example embodiment of a user interface that presents a visualization of an ablation zone. The user interface 1590B shows a lantern 1584B, image data 1586, a simulated probe 1583, a cursor 1596, an axial-visualization plane 1587A, a sagittal-visualization plane 1587B, and a coronal-visualization plane 1587C. Because the cursor 1596 was used to reposition the lantern 1584A in FIG. 15A to the position in FIG. 15B, the lantern 1584B in FIG. 15B has a different location than the lantern 1584A in FIG. 15A. Consequently, these lanterns have different appearances because the image data that was sampled when the lantern 1584A in FIG. 15A was generated is different from at least some of the image data that was sampled when the lantern 1584B in FIG. 15B was generated, even though both lanterns were generated from the same image volume.

FIG. 15C illustrates an example embodiment of a user interface that includes a visualization of an ablation zone. The user interface 1590C shows a lantern 1584C, image data 1586, a simulated probe 1583, a cursor 1596, an axial-visualization plane 1587A, a sagittal-visualization plane 1587B, and a coronal-visualization plane 1587C. This lantern 1584C has a different size than the lantern 1584B in FIG. 15B, and consequently has a different appearance because at least some of the image data that was sampled when the lantern 1584B in FIG. 15B was generated is different from the image data that was sampled when the lantern 1584C in FIG. 15C was generated.

FIG. 15D illustrates an example embodiment of a user interface that includes a visualization of an ablation zone. The user interface 1590D shows a lantern 1584D, image data 1586, a cursor 1596, an axial-visualization plane 1587A, a sagittal-visualization plane 1587B, and a coronal-visualization plane 1587C. This lantern 1584D has a different size and a different location than the lantern 1584C in FIG. 15C, and consequently has a different appearance because at least some of the image data that was sampled when the lantern 1584C in FIG. 15C was generated is different from the image data that was sampled when the lantern 1584D in FIG. 15D was generated.

In this embodiment, the respective locations of the axial-visualization plane 1587A, the sagittal-visualization plane 1587B, and the coronal-visualization plane 1587C are different than the respective locations of the axial-visualization plane 1587A, the sagittal-visualization plane 1587B, and the coronal-visualization plane 1587C in FIG. 15C. Consequently, the appearances of the axial-visualization plane 1587A, the sagittal-visualization plane 1587B, and the coronal-visualization plane 1587C are not the same in FIGS. 15C-D because they show different image data in FIGS. 15C-D.

FIG. 16 illustrates an example embodiment of a system for simulating and visualizing an ablation zone. The system includes a simulation device 1600, which is a specially-configured computing device; an image-capturing device 1610; and an image server 1620. In this embodiment, the devices communicate by means of one or more networks 1609, which may include a wired network, a wireless network, a LAN, a WAN, a MAN, and a PAN. Also, in some embodiments the devices communicate by means of other wired or wireless channels.

The simulation device 1600 includes one or more processors 1601, one or more I/O components 1602, and storage 1603. Also, the hardware components of the simulation device 1600 communicate by means of one or more buses or other electrical connections. Examples of buses include a universal serial bus (USB), an IEEE 1394 bus, a PCI bus, an Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) bus, a Serial AT Attachment (SATA) bus, and a Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) bus.

The one or more processors 1601 include one or more central processing units (CPUs), which include microprocessors (e.g., a single core microprocessor, a multi-core microprocessor); one or more graphics processing units (GPUs); one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs); one or more field-programmable-gate arrays (FPGAs); one or more digital signal processors (DSPs); or other electronic circuitry (e.g., other integrated circuits). The I/O components 1602 include communication components (e.g., a GPU, a network-interface controller) that communicate with input and output devices, which may include a keyboard, a display device, a mouse, a printing device, a touch screen, a light pen, an optical-storage device, a scanner, a microphone, a drive, a controller (e.g., a joystick, a control pad), and the network 1609. In some embodiments, the I/O components 1602 also include specially-configured communication components that communicate with the image-capturing device 1610.

The storage 1603 includes one or more computer-readable storage media. As used herein, a computer-readable storage medium, in contrast to a mere transitory, propagating signal per se, refers to a computer-readable media that includes an article of manufacture, for example a magnetic disk (e.g., a floppy disk, a hard disk), an optical disc (e.g., a CD, a DVD, a Blu-ray), a magneto-optical disk, magnetic tape, and semiconductor memory (e.g., a non-volatile memory card, flash memory, a solid-state drive, SRAM, DRAM, EPROM, EEPROM). Also, as used herein, a transitory computer-readable medium refers to a mere transitory, propagating signal per se, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium refers to any computer-readable medium that is not merely a transitory, propagating signal per se. The storage 1603, which may include both ROM and RAM, can store computer-readable data or computer-executable instructions.

The simulation device 1600 also includes an image-acquisition module 1603A, an ablation-simulation module 1603B, an ablation-zone-rendering module 1603C, a visualization-rendering module 1603D, an interface-generation module 1603E, and a communication module 1603F. A module includes logic, computer-readable data, or computer-executable instructions, and may be implemented in software (e.g., Assembly, C, C++, C #, Java, BASIC, Perl, Visual Basic), hardware (e.g., customized circuitry), or a combination of software and hardware. In some embodiments, the devices in the system include additional or fewer modules, the modules are combined into fewer modules, or the modules are divided into more modules. When the modules are implemented in software, the software can be stored in the storage 1603.

The image-acquisition module 1603A includes instructions that, when executed, or circuits that, when activated, cause the simulation device 1600 to obtain one or more image volumes from the image-capturing device 1610 or the image server 1620, for example as described in block B610 in FIG. 6, in block B715 in FIG. 7, or in block B915 in FIG. 9.

The ablation-simulation module 1603B includes instructions that, when executed, or circuits that, when activated, cause the simulation device 1600 to calculate a size and shape of an ablation zone based on one or more of a time of an ablation procedure, a power of the ablation procedure, a shape of the ablation zone, and the composition of the material that will be ablated. In some embodiments, the size and shape of the ablation zone is modeled by a functional. Also, in some embodiments, these operations include the operations in blocks B600 and B605 in FIG. 6; in blocks B700, B705, and B710 in FIG. 7; or in blocks B900, B905, and B910 in FIG. 9.

The ablation-zone rendering module 1603C includes instructions that, when executed, or circuits that, when activated, cause the simulation device 1600 to sample image data in an image volume that lies on the surface of an ablation zone and by generating a lantern, which includes an image of the sampled image data. In some embodiments, these operations include the operations that are described in blocks B615, B620, and B625 in FIG. 6; in blocks B720, B725, and B730 in FIG. 7; or in blocks B920 and B925 in FIG. 9.

The visualization-rendering module 1603D includes instructions that, when executed, or circuits that, when activated, cause the simulation device 1600 to generate a visualization of an image volume and a lantern, for example as described in blocks B630 and B635 in FIG. 6 or in blocks B735 and B740 in FIG. 7.

The interface-generation module 1603E includes instructions that, when executed, or circuits that, when activated, cause the simulation device 1600 to generate a menu and receive commands from the menu.

The communication module 1603F includes instructions that, when executed, or circuits that, when activated, cause the simulation device 1600 to communicate with one or more other devices, for example the image-capturing device 1610 and the image server 1620.

The image-capturing device 1610 includes one or more processors 1611, one or more I/O components 1612, storage 1613, a communication module 1613A, and an image-capturing assembly 1614. The image-capturing assembly 1614 includes one or more image sensors, one or more lenses, and an aperture. The communication module 1613A includes instructions that, when executed, or circuits that, when activated, cause the image-capturing device 1610 to capture an image, receive a request for an image from a requesting device, retrieve a requested image from the storage 1613, or send a retrieved image to the requesting device (e.g., the simulation device 1600).

The image server 1620 includes one or more processors 1621, one or more I/O components 1622, and storage 1623. The storage includes an image repository 1623A, which stores images, and a communication module 1623B. The communication module 1623B includes instructions that, when executed, or circuits that, when activated, cause the image server 1620 to receive a request for an image from a requesting device, retrieve a requested image from the image repository 1623A, or send a retrieved image to the requesting device (e.g., the simulation device 1600).

At least some of the above-described devices, systems, and methods can be implemented, at least in part, by providing one or more computer-readable media that contain computer-executable instructions for realizing the above-described operations to one or more computing devices that are configured to read and execute the computer-executable instructions. The systems or devices perform the operations of the above-described embodiments when executing the computer-executable instructions. Also, an operating system on the one or more systems or devices may implement at least some of the operations of the above-described embodiments.

Furthermore, some embodiments use one or more functional units to implement the above-described devices, systems, and methods. The functional units may be implemented in only hardware (e.g., customized circuitry) or in a combination of software and hardware (e.g., a microprocessor that executes software).

The scope of the claims is not limited to the above-described embodiments and includes various modifications and equivalent arrangements. Also, as used herein, the conjunction “or” generally refers to an inclusive “or,” though “or” may refer to an exclusive “or” if expressly indicated or if the context indicates that the “or” must be an exclusive “or. 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A device comprising: one or more processors; and one or more computer-readable media that are coupled to the one or more processors and that include instructions for: obtaining an image volume; obtaining a description of a surface that includes a shape of the surface, a size of the surface, and a location of the surface in the image volume; sampling the image volume on the surface, thereby producing sampled surface-image data; generating a visualization of the sampled surface-image data that defines one or more lanterns, each of the one or more lanterns being a visualization of a surface of a respective target zone of or in the image volume, the respective target zone being a volume that is to be affected by a medical procedure; and displaying the one or more lanterns on a display of the device such that: (i) the one or more lanterns are overlaid on the image volume; and (ii) the one or more lanterns each include a respective image on its surface where the respective image maps to and displays a surface of the respective target zone.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer-readable media further include instructions for generating a visualization of a part of the image volume that is not included in the visualization of the sampled surface-image data.
 3. The device of claim 2, wherein the one or more computer-readable media further include instructions for generating an interface that includes the visualization of the sampled surface-image data and includes the visualization of the part of the image volume that is not included in the visualization of the sampled surface-image data.
 4. The device of claim 1, wherein one or more of the following: (i) the description of the surface includes one or more functionals; (ii) the one or more functionals model the respective target zones such that the one or more lanterns are generated from the one or more functionals; (iii) the one or more functionals model the respective target zones as ablation zones; (iv) the sampled surface having the description is a surface of the one or more functionals; and/or (v) in a case where the one or more functionals comprises a first functional and a second functional and the first functional and the second functional overlap, the first functional and the second functional are merged into a single surface and/or are merged to define the sampled surface.
 5. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer-readable media further include instructions for obtaining a modified surface that has a different position in the image volume, a different shape, or a different size; sampling the image volume on the modified surface, thereby producing modified sampled surface-image data, wherein at least some of the modified sampled surface-image data is different from the sampled surface-image data; and generating a visualization of the modified sampled surface-image data.
 6. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer-readable media further include instructions for moving, reshaping and/or resizing the one or more lanterns with a cursor on the display.
 7. The device of claim 1, wherein one or more of the following: (i) the respective image on the one or more lanterns simulates or displays an appearance of a respective portion that has been cut out of or removed from the image volume; (ii) the respective image on the one or more lanterns displays the respective portion of the image volume that is located underneath the overlaid one or more lanterns; (iii) the respective image on the one or more lanterns displays one or more features that intersect with the respective target zone; and/or (iv) the respective image of the one or more lanterns operates to be used for planning and/or performing the medical procedure.
 8. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more lanterns are generated based on one or more color maps in addition to the sampled surface-image data.
 9. A method comprising: obtaining an image volume, wherein the image volume is composed of an image stack; sampling the image volume on a first surface, thereby producing first sampled surface-image data; generating a visualization of the first sampled surface-image data that defines one or more lanterns, each of the one or more lanterns being a visualization of a surface of a respective target zone of or in the image volume, the respective target zone being a volume that is to be affected by a medical procedure; and displaying the one or more lanterns on a display such that: (i) the one or more lanterns are overlaid on the image volume; and (ii) the one or more lanterns each include a respective image on its surface where the respective image maps to and displays a surface of the respective target zone.
 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising: sampling the image volume on a second surface that has a different size than the first surface, a different shape than the first surface, or a different position than the first surface, thereby producing second sampled surface-image data; generating a visualization of the second sampled surface-image data that defines one or more other lanterns, each of the one or more other lanterns being a visualization of a surface of a respective other target zone of or in the image volume, the respective other target zone being a volume that is to be affected by a medical procedure; and displaying the one or more other lanterns on the display such that: (i) the one or more other lanterns are overlaid on the image volume; and (ii) the one or more lanterns each include a respective image on its surface where the respective image maps to and displays a surface of the respective other target zone.
 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising: generating an interface that includes the visualization of the first sampled surface-image data and includes the visualization of the second sampled surface-image data on the display.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein one or more of the following: (i) the interface further includes an axial-image plane, a sagittal-image plane, and a coronal-image plane on the display; (ii) the interface further includes an image on the display, the image having the axial-image plane, the sagittal-image plane, and the coronal-image plane intersect with each other through or in the image volume; (iii) the interface further includes a lantern display area which shows one or more of the following: a simulated probe, the one or more lanterns, and/or the one or more other lanterns; and/or (iv) the respective target zone is an ablation zone.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein one or more of the following: (i) the interface operates to display a trajectory of the simulated probe; (ii) the interface operates to allow input to define an entry point and a target point of the trajectory; (iii) the entry point and the target point operate to define the trajectory of the simulated probe; (iv) the interface operates to display the simulated probe in place of the trajectory; and/or (v) the interface operates to display the trajectory and/or the simulated probe in the axial-image plane and/or in the image having the axial-image plane, the sagittal-image plane, and the coronal-image plane intersect with each other through or in the image volume.
 14. The method of claim 9, wherein the sampling of the image volume on the first surface includes one or more of the following: (i) interpolating image data based on the image volume and on the first surface, wherein the interpolated image data is included in the first sampled surface-image data; and/or (ii) interpolating the image data to include data points that are disposed on or along the first surface in any area where the first surface is not close to data points in the image volume.
 15. One or more computer-readable storage media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to perform operations comprising: obtaining an image volume, wherein the image volume is composed of an image stack; obtaining information that describes a first surface, wherein the first surface models a corresponding target zone; sampling the image volume on the first surface, thereby producing first sampled surface-image data; generating an image of the first sampled surface-image data that defines one or more lanterns, each of the one or more lanterns being a visualization of a surface of a respective target zone of or in the image volume, the respective target zone being a volume that is to be affected by a medical procedure; and displaying the one or more lanterns on a display such that: (i) the one or more lanterns are overlaid on the image volume; and (ii) the one or more lanterns each include a respective image on its surface where the respective image maps to and displays a surface of the respective target zone.
 16. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise: obtaining a new setting for a medical procedure that corresponds to the target zone; modifying the first surface based on the new setting, thereby generating a modified first surface; sampling the image volume on the modified first surface, thereby producing modified first sampled surface-image data, where at least some of the modified first sampled surface-image data is different from the first sampled surface-image data; and generating an image of the modified first sampled surface-image data to display one or more modified lanterns such that (i) the one or more modified lanterns are overlaid on the image volume; and (ii) the one or more modified lanterns each include a respective image on its surface where the respective image maps to and displays a surface of the respective target zone.
 17. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise: obtaining information that describes a second surface, wherein the second surface models a corresponding other target zone; sampling the image volume on the second surface, thereby producing second sampled surface-image data; and generating an image of the second sampled surface-image data that defines one or more other lanterns, each of the one or more other lanterns being a visualization of a surface of a respective other target zone of or in the image volume, the respective other target zone being a volume that is to be affected by a medical procedure; and displaying the one or more other lanterns on the display such that: (i) the one or more other lanterns are overlaid on the image volume; and (ii) the one or more lanterns each include a respective image on its surface where the respective image maps to and displays a surface of the respective other target zone.
 18. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein one or more of the following: (i) the first surface has a shape of a sphere or an ellipsoid; and/or (ii) the corresponding target zone is an ablation zone.
 19. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the one or more operations further comprise: generating an interface that includes the image of the first sampled surface-image data.
 20. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 19, wherein the interface also displays an image of at least part of the image volume that is not included in the image of the first sampled surface-image data. 